IronSights

Threats & attacks

Spear phishing

A targeted phishing attack tailored to a specific individual or organisation, using research and personalisation to appear more credible and increase the likelihood of success.

Also known asspear-phishingtargeted phishingwhaling

In plain English

Unlike mass phishing campaigns that spray generic emails at millions of people, spear phishing is personalised. Attackers research the target on LinkedIn, company websites, and social media to craft emails that reference real colleagues, projects, or events — making them far harder to detect.

Keep learning

More terms in the IronSights Glossary.